1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical microscope apparatus for selectively arranging a plurality of optical elements in an optical path.
2. Description of the Related Art
A microscope is used in various observing methods depending on each use in medical and biological fields, or industrial field of producing semiconductors, large-capacity storage media, etc.
To support finer samples to be observed and the diversification in optical features, various observing methods including not only the bright vision observation, the dark vision observation, the differential interference observation, the phase difference observation, and the fluorescent observation, but also the composite observation realized by a combination of them.
Therefore, a microscope realizes an observing method requested by a user by selecting a plurality of optical elements for an optical path from an illumination light source to an eyepiece or a camera, and arranging and combining them.
As microscopes capable of realizing various observing methods, those having a plurality of optical element switch mechanisms and a setting mechanism of an optical element arrangement for realizing each observing method have been developed. To make these complicated setting operations of a microscope easier, there are a number of special devices for setting mechanisms.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 8-179218 discloses a microscope system including an electric attachment/detachment device for attaching/detaching various optical members to an optical path; a detection device for detecting the attaching/detaching status for the optical path of the optical members; an input device for inputting a control command received from an operator; and a control device for receiving the attachment/detachment status of the optical member from the detection device, and outputting a control command for the electric attachment/detachment device to attachment/detachment control the corresponding optical member corresponding to the control command input from the input device. The microscope system is provided with: a setting device for arbitrarily setting the specification data about various optical members; a storage device for storing the optical member specification data set by the setting device and the specification data even after power shutdown; and a display device for displaying the contents of the specification data of various optical member.
According to the microscope system, it is possible to add optical members having new specification data for a unit of an optical member, thereby realizing the optimum control of an illumination system and a focusing system using added optical members, more easily structuring an environment of the microscope using retrieval of an optical member, and realizing an operability-improved microscope system.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-23975 discloses a microscope including: a revolver capable of attaching and switching a plurality of objective lenses; an input device for inputting code information obtained by coding in each format the mounting position information about the objective lens of the revolver, and the lens information about an objective lens which can be attached to the revolver; a decoding device for decoding the code information input by the input device; and a storage device for storing the mounting position information decoded by the decoding device associated with the lens information.
With the above-mentioned microscope, a microscope of an automatic control type an input device for inputting code information obtained by coding necessary information input prior to use in a predetermined format; a decoding device for decoding the code information input by the input device; a decoding device for decoding the code information input by the input device; and a storage device for storing lens information associated with the mounting position information decoded by the decoding device, etc. With the configuration, when coded information is input, the information is automatically decoded and stored. Therefore, information can be easily input to the microscope.